Colorant preparations

Abstract

Dye preparations comprising, based on the weight of the preparation, from 0.1 to 30% by weight of one or more dyes selected from the class of the anthraquinones or quinophthalones which are free of ionic groups, from 0.1 to 20% by weight of a dispersant based on an arylsulfonic acid-formaldehyde condensation product, from 10 to 90% by weight of a mono- or polyhydric alcohol and optionally water, are useful as inks in the inkjet process and also for sublimation transfer printing.

We claim:  
     
       1. A method of printing, comprising: 
       printing a substrate by the inkjet process employing an ink which is a dye preparation comprising, (i) based on the weight of the preparation, from 0.1 to 30% by weight of at least one dye selected from the group consisting of anthraquinones or quinophthalones which are free of ionic groups, and (ii) from 0.1 to 20% by weight of a dispersant which is an arylsulfonic acid-formaldehyde condensation product which is combined with 3 to 50% by weight, based on the weight of the dispersant, of at least one aromatic or long-chain aliphatic carboxylic acid, its salts, its anhydrides or mixtures thereof, or from 0.1 to 20% by weight of a water-soluble dispersant based on alkoxylated phenols, and (iii) from 10 to 90% by weight of a mono- or polyhydric alcohol or mixtures thereof and optionally water, with the proviso that the dye preparation whose liquid medium is exclusively water and polyalkylene glycol is excluded if the dye preparation is formulated with a dispersant which is an arylsulfonic acid-formaldehyde condensation product.  
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , which comprises, based on the weight of the preparation, of 1 to 15% by weight of at least one dye selected from the group consisting of anthraquinone or quinophthalone and from 0.5 to 10% by weight of dispersant. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the mono- or polyhydric alcohol is an alkane monool or polyol having from 2 to 8 carbon atoms and up to 4 alcoholic hydroxyl groups. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the dye preparation contains particles of dye, 99% of which are of a size smaller than 1 μm. 
     
     
       5. A method of printing, comprising: 
       printing a substrate by the sublimation transfer process employing an ink which is a dye preparation comprising, (i) based on the weight of the preparation, from 0.1 to 30% by weight of at least one dye selected from the group consisting of anthraquinones or quinophthalones which are free of ionic groups, and (ii) from 0.1 to 20% by weight of a dispersant which is an arylsulfonic acid-formaldehyde condensation product which is combined with 3 to 50% by weight, based on the weight of the dispersant, of at least one aromatic or long-chain aliphatic carboxylic acid, its salts, its anhydrides or mixtures thereof, or from 0.1 to 20% by weight of a water-soluble dispersant based on alkoxylated phenols, and (iii) from 10 to 90% by weight of a mono- or polyhydric alcohol or mixtures thereof and optionally water, with the proviso that the dye preparation whose liquid medium is exclusively water and polyalkylene glycol is excluded if the dye preparation is formulated with a dispersant which is an arylsulfonic acid-formaldehyde condensation product.  
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 5 , which comprises, based on the weight of the preparation, of 1 to 15% by weight of at least one dye selected from the group consisting of anthraquinone or quinophthalone and from 0.5 to 10% by weight of dispersant. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the mono- or polyhydric alcohol is an alkane monool or polyol having from 2 to 8 carbon atoms and up to 4 alcoholic hydroxyl groups. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the dye preparation contains particles of dye, 99% of which are of a size smaller than 1 μm.